Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-17
DEATH OF MIR. BEECHER.
He Passes Quietly Away in the Pres
ence of Most Members Of the Family.
DR.. Searles' Statement in Regard to
the Distinguished Mans Last Hours.
MIR. BEECHER
The Noted Divine Passes Away.

MR. BEECHER
The Noted Divine Passes Away.
| NEW YORK, March S.-The Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher died at $50 o'clock this
morning in the presence of most of the
| family DR.. Searle makes the following
verbal statement in regard to the distin.
guished divine's last hours: Mr.. Beecher
began to fail decidedly at o'clock in the
| morning and his respiration was rapid.
At o'clock the family was summoned.
Death came slowly and stealthily, the res
pirations gradually became faster and
faster until they reached sixty minute,
one each secoud. His pulse was variable
and often reached 140. He still remained
in the same condition except in breathing
with his eyes closed and he YVES entirely
unconscious. The motion of mis- right arm
became less frequent and finally dropped
almost entirely. About O'Clock IN the
morning we could detect the first symp-
toms of Immediate death. His pulse ran
up still higher, fiickered and Huctuated
until 9:2S, two minutes before his death,
his pulse ceased almost entirely. Atfthe
wrist it was so faint that it could hardly
be detected, and then stopped altogether.
There was rafting in the throat pain
|
him, owing to the failure of the nerve
centre of tee respiratory organs, togeth-
er with the failure of the hearts &C
ton. His death, which came at $50, was
very easy; as painless if not as pleasant
as death from suffocation or by drown
| ing, is said to be. In the sitting room in
the back of the house, where the great
preacher spent many of the hours of his
life, Major Pond this morning was busily
engaged in answering the many tele
grams that were received by Mrs. Beecher.
Henry Ward Beecher was the son of
Lyman Beecher, d. D., who was the faith
er of thirteen children six of whom at
| tanned distinction, as follows: Catherine
Esther, Edward, Henry Ward, Harriet
Elizabeth (Stowe), Charles and Thomas
Kennicutt. Henry Ward was born at
Litchfield Conn, June "a, 1913. He grad
uated at Amherst in 1884, finishing his
! theological course at Lane Seminary.
Before entering the ministry he was an
! editor; his first newspaper work was on
the Cincinnati journal, in 1886, of which
he was the practical writer. His first
passionate was in Lawrenceburg, Conn,
where he had charge of the Presbyterian
church. In 1889 he was called to Indian
apolis, Ind, and remained there as pastor
of the Presbyterian church until his re-
turn to the east. While in charge of the
Indianapolis church he was a contributor
to an agricultural journal printed there,
his articles appearing under the title of
Fruits, Flowers and Farming"
In 1S47 he received and accepted call
from Plymouth church, then a new Con
gregational organization in Brooklyn, and
| 1t was here that he first acquired his rep
| ntation as a pulpit orator. Mr.. Beecher
| soon became prominent on account of
his lectures against slavery and his advo-
fhs can an Of the renubican or na estpous e
not only aided it on the hustings bu
from the pulpit. When the Indepedent
Bowers paper, was established, Mr.
tutors, and from 1861 to 1863 was it's ed
itor. In 1870 he took editorial manage
ment of the Christian Union, a weekly re-
ligiou5 publication, and continued in that
capacity for ten years. In 1861 he made
his second visit to Great Britain and
spoke to vast audiences on the ques
tions involved in the civil war. In man,
places his receptions were ovations. In
| 1871 the Lyman Beecher Lectureshi pr
in the Yale College Divinity School was
| founded, and the first three annual
courses there, were. delivered by Mr.. Beech
er. His weekly sermons have been
printed since 1859.
Mr.. Beecher's published works are:
Lectures to Young Men," "Star Papers,"
plymouth Collection CT Hymns and
Tunes" "Life Thoughts" pleasant Talks
About Frtits and Flowers and Farming"
'sEyes and Ears" 'Frcedom and War;
"ROyal Truths "a ids to PRAYER. sEPuI-
pit Pungencies," "EHrayers from Plymouth
Pull pit, Norwood" "a nevel; "Gverture
of Angels" "Lecture-Room Talks
'Yale Lectures on Preaching" ga Sum
mer parish enc Life of Christ" The
first volume of the last was issued in 1871
few months ago Mr.. Beecher announc-
ed that he would give the public second
volume, and is understood that he was at
work on this when he was stricken down.
Mr.. B1echer's style of oratory was pc
culiar to himself To the argamentative
he combined TIE poetic and humorous
faculties. In fact, he was the first Ameri-
can minister go introduce hamor in the
pulpit, and is was no uncommon occur
renee for Plymouth congregations to ap-
plaud his utsegances or laugh outright.
In the next sentence they would be in
tears. His manner, both as d preacher
and a lecturer, was convincing, and over
all with whom he came IN contact there
was magnetism In the man which Great
ed an admiration for him in spite of pre-
JUDGE previously formed.
TUE FUNERAL OF HENRY WARD BEECHER